An electrical connector may include a housing, one or more electrical conductors, and one or more fusible elements, such as solder balls, mounted on the electrical conductors. The solder balls are typically subjected to a reflow process that melts the solder. The molten solder, upon cooling, forms electrical and mechanical connections between the electrical conductors and a mounting surface or substrate, such as a printed circuit board (PCB).
The electrical connector may include two portions, a plug portion and a receptacle portion. The plug portion may be mounted on one substrate, and the receptacle portion may be mounted on another substrate. Upon mating the plug and receptacle portions to one another, an electrical connection may be established between the two substrates.
The plug and receptacle portions of the electrical connector often include different components. As such, the plug and receptacle portions are generally not identical to one another. For example, the electrical contacts of the plug portion may each have a plug mating interface, such as a blade-shaped mating end. The electrical contacts of the receptacle portion may each have a receptacle mating interface, such as two or more tines, that are configured to receive the blade-shaped mating end. Having connector components specific to each portion of the electrical connector generally increases the number and types of components needed to construct the electrical connector, resulting in increased manufacturing, tooling, and/or inventory-related costs.
To prevent the electrical contacts in the plug and receptacle portions of the electrical connector from becoming damaged during the mating process, the plug and receptacle portions may each include a guide portion configured to properly align the electrical contacts as the plug and receptacle portions are mated. Moreover, the guide portion of each of the plug and receptacle portions may help to retain the plug and receptacle portions in mated condition. Like the electrical contacts, the guide portion in the plug portion generally differs from the guide portion in the receptacle portion, further increasing manufacturing, tooling, and/or inventory-related costs.